Ah Aussies, they do so many things right and for this American wine making falls into that category. I know many of those "serious" wine critics like to bash much of what is called New World Wine that is something I won't do. Rather I will simply recognize differences between Old World and New World and appreciate each for what it is. Here we definitely have a New World Wine, coming to us from "Australia's most famous wine region", the Barossa Valley in southern Australia. This Rhone varietal appears red with a touch of blue, medium/(+) intensity in the glass. The nose is lovely, big raspberry and cherry with supporting notes of licorice and just a touch of oaky spice. Medium bodied, the wine delivers what the nose detects. Red fruit, smooth tannins, and good acid come together to deliver quite a nice quaff that has just a touch of pepper in its medium length finish. Nice value at less than $15 a bottle, should hold solidly through 2013 and into 2014.Number of wines reviewed in 2011: 5
